Monday, 27 August 2012

Every few weeks I need to get my INR tested to make sure that the warfarin I take is keeping my blood thin enough so that clots don't form on my mechanical heart valve. The valve is what makes Ticking Boy tick. I have to go in to my doctor's surgery so the nurse can take a blood sample and they usually call the next day to inform me of the results. They also usually ask me to come back on specific afternoons when the phlebotomist is in. I understand they want everyone to come in at the same time but most other people on warfarin are older and retired and might not have things on of an afternoon but I do! So we go through an appointment booking dance each time and it frustrates me. So this time I channelled that frustration into creating a little strip, it's a bit rough as I did it in about 15 mins but I think that gives it some energy and charm. I also used Wally Wood's 22 panels as reference to put some variety into the strip as it only has one person in it, which added to the fun.

Monday, 20 August 2012

Last Friday I had the joy of watching a wonderful interaction with my art. I was invigilating an Open Studios event at Buckhaven Beehive when a women came in the door 5 minutes before closing. She was an old-age pensioner with a wheeled shopping trolley. I realised immediately that she looked exactly like one of my pieces fromMeanwhilethat I had on display. We were in no rush to close up so we stayed open so she could wander around the gallery at her own pace, all the time I was curious to see her reaction to my work.

There was no need to worry though, as she rounded a corner and saw it she immediately burst out laughing. She could see the likeness and was amused and bemused to see herself in the work. I had based the piece on several old women I had seen in the Kingdom Shopping Centre during the run up to the exhibitionThe Space Between, she could even have been one of them!

We got chatting and it turned out she was 90 years old and from Buckhaven. Her name was Mrs Thomson and she remembered doing handstands in the hall as a schoolgirl, when her school used it as an overflow gym hall. It was lovely to see her enthusiasm for the work (she bought a couple of small pieces by Ana Mellon) and delight in her recounting of old memories. Bless you Mrs Thomson you made the whole exhibition a success for me, even if I don't sell any work!

About Me

I am a researcher, artist and cartoonist. I am currently working on a PhD in autobiographical comics at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design at Dundee University.
See more of my work at www.damonherd.com